Naomi Dobrich grew up knowing that her parents valued education and desired to go to college, but life had other plans. That didn’t stop them from instilling a love of learning in their children, however, and Naomi and her siblings all went on to dedicate their professional lives to teaching. Each of them gained immense satisfaction from this demanding and complex vocation. But in a family with three brothers, Naomi was often overshadowed. Then, she had three daughters.
From the beginning, Naomi taught her daughters to speak their minds, stand up for themselves, express their beliefs and opinions with confidence, and to be proud of who they were. The Carondelet experience created an extension of this philosophy. Her daughters flourished. Parent involvement, commitment from the school community, and atmosphere of an all-girls education all contributed to the Dobrich’s love for Carondelet.
Most succinctly, Naomi believes that young women leave Carondelet with a solid sense of self, an intention to serve, and a strong education. This winning combination is what inspired the Dobrich’s to begin seriously supporting Carondelet’s tuition assistance and scholarship programs.
As the Dobrich’s thought about their ability to make a difference in the world through philanthropy, Naomi kept returning to Carondelet and the potential and promise she sees here. She intends for her support to benefit those students and families who need extra help today, and to inspire future generations to create similar opportunities for students to come. This positive feedback loop is mirrored in Naomi’s own family as her daughters – all proud Carondelet alumnae – each consider their own way of giving back to the institution that gave them so much.